32 CARNATIONS AND PINKS 



excellence, and the work has been handed down 

 from one generation of florists to another. At one 

 time it was a point of honour amongst florists to do 

 something in the way of seedling raising and to 

 make an improvement in one direction or another, 

 but a standard of excellence was probably not set 

 up until the year 1834, when a sub-committee of 

 the Cambridge Horticultural Society was appointed 

 to draw up this standard for all florists' flowers. The 

 names of this sub-committee were James Twitchett, 

 Richard Headly, Adam Fitch, Frederick Finch, Samuel 

 Widnal, and Edward Catling. The result of their con- 

 ference was published in the " Floricultural Cabinet " 

 for the year 1834 (? X 44)- The following refers to 

 the Carnation and Picotee : 



CARNATIONS 



" The flower large, consisting of a number of 

 well-formed petals, neither so many as to give it a 

 crowded appearance, nor so few as to make it appear 

 thin and empty, the petals broad and stiff, the guard 

 petals well rounded, and should rise a little above the 

 calyx, and then turn off gracefully in a horizontal 

 direction, supporting the inner petals, which should 

 gracefully taper towards the crown. Bizarres should 

 have three colours in every petal, flakes two, colours 

 strong and bright, the fewer freckles or spots the 

 better, all the colours nearly equal, or the most 

 brilliant colour should predominate, the white pure 

 and bright." 



